CCAC Closes After Possible Exposure To Bed Bugs
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – For a second time this month, bed bugs caused a local college campus to close.
At the beginning of the month, CCAC North closed its doors for the day.
This time, CCAC's Allegheny campus canceled classes because a student self-reported that his family had bed bugs at home.
Campus officials say the pest control company brought in to inspect the school today did not find any bed bugs in the building.
A student at CCAC North thinks there was a strategy behind the student report.
"Some people just want to get out of class," student Nick Coban said. "You hear things, but you never know. It's better to bring safe than sorry."
Coban says he was sent home early, the day CCAC North canceled class at the beginning of the month for the same type of student report.
But this time, an Allegheny campus student self-reported an infestation at his home, making some students a bit concerned.
"I think it would make me more nervous if I was there today or yesterday," student Kristi Suchma said.
The Allegheny County Health Department spoke to CCAC Allegheny today to offer some advice.
"We typically don't recommend school closings when they self report a bed bug problem," David Namey with the health department said.
Health Officials say the school could have taken other measures.
"One might be to discreetly isolate the student. Check his clothes, take him to another room. Check his clothes for bed bugs back pack, lunch bag," Namey said.
CCAC said in a statement:
"In the interest of protecting the entire college community, CCAC routinely conducts monthly inspections by an exterminator for preventative purposes. In addition to this routine maintenance, CCAC will also call the exterminator for any circumstances that require attention."
"Bed bug infestations in schools are not very common. Bed bugs want to go somewhere they can get their blood meal at night when people sleep," Namey said.
The health department says it's imperative the school find out if the student's home is being treated. It can take multiple attempts before these tiny critters and their eggs will be killed off.
Before this student can come back to school, CCAC requires that he provide proof that the bed bugs have been successfully exterminated from his home.
The school says they put these measures in place for the safety and well-being of the entire college community.
The CCAC Allegheny campus plans to reopen for class tomorrow.
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